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Printer-Friendly ModeOffense leads Cards to 5-1 weekend, puts conference tournament in sights
April 23, 2007 —
The Cardinals scored 60 runs in their first 14 GLIAC games this season. It took them six to score another 56.
With a chance to solidify their spot in the GLIAC standings, the Cardinals went 5-1 over the weekend, splitting a doubleheader at Wayne State Friday then sweeping a helpless Gannon team in Erie on Saturday and Sunday.
After losing the first game of Friday's doubleheader 4-2, SVSU proceeded to score 10, 7, 17, 9, and 11 runs in their next five to claim a firm grasp on third place in the conference. The Cards sit one game ahead of fourth-place Findlay, but the Oilers play #21 Ashland on Wednesday. SVSU travels to Midland that same day to play Northwood, who the Cards swept two weeks ago, at the newly built Dow Diamond.
Sunday did not begin well for the Cards, as Gannon used a four-run fourth inning to go ahead 4-2. SVSU had seven hits but could only muster two runs to that point, but responded with six runs in the top of the fifth to take a 8-4 lead.
The Cards began the inning by loading the bases with no outs, and senior Tom Seehafer came up with a single that scored sophomore Pete Vanderkolk. Gannon's Adam McMullen came on in relief but fared no better; after getting redshirt freshman Josh Peterson to pop up and junior Ken Hoffman to strike out, he gave up a grand slam to freshman Chase Coulter that gave SVSU a 7-4 lead. Senior Chris Hanna then reached on an error, stole second and advanced to third after an errant throw by catcher Brad Kozak, and scored on a single by junior Max Bell.
Freshman Andrew Doyle, who came on in relief of starter Scott Haase in the fourth when the redshirt freshman gave up the four runs, held the Golden Knights at bay, allowing just one run in the fifth and sixth innings. He struck out six in 2.2 innings as he improved to 4-2 on the season.
After the Cards manufactured a run in the seventh, senior Jeff Schulz came on in relief and saved his first game of the season.
Things returned to normal for SVSU in the second game, as the Cards jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the second inning and went on to win 11-3.
With the bases loaded and no outs in the top of the second, Hanna hit a bases-clearing double down the leftfield line to give the Cards the four-run edge. Freshman starter T.J. Swanson gave up a run in the fourth and fifth innings each and was lifted after his teammates scored another three runs in the top of the sixth. Freshman John Tibaudo held the Golden Knights to one hit in the final two innings in relief.
The nine runs and eleven runs scored in Sunday's two games paled in comparison to Saturday's second game, when the Cards set a season high with a 17-3 victory. Twenty-two different Cardinals played in the game, which was all but over by the third inning, when SVSU went up 10-0.
Hanna jumpstarted the offense all game, going 2-for-3 with two walks, five runs, and a home run, his second of the day. Vanderkolk went 3-for-5 out of the two hole, knocking in three runs and scoring three times, while senior Brandon Fanion went 2-for-2 with a three-run homer and two more RBIs.
Junior Scott Roy picked up the win, going six innings, striking out nine, and allowing three runs. He lowered his team-leading ERA to 2.39 and improved to a team-best 5-1.
Senior Scott Schlaff continued his rebound from a tough start to the season in the first game on Saturday, pitching a complete game, allowing five hits and striking out six in the Cards' 7-1 win.
While Saturday's and Sunday's game were virtual locks for the Cards (the losses dropped Gannon to 1-17 in the GLIAC and 5-33 overall), it was obvious that Friday's games were of the utmost importance. The Cards needed at least a split with Wayne State, the other team that they are battling with for the all-important third and fourth spots in the conference.
After the Warriors took the 4-2 victory in the first game, the Cards bats woke up for the second game. They jumped out to a 10-1 lead in the top of the fourth, but Fanion gave almost all the runs back, allowing six in the bottom of the inning as the Warriors closed the gap to 10-8. Coach Walt Head brought out Schlaff to relieve Fanion, but he gave up two more runs - one in the fourth and one in the fifth - in just 1.1 innings of work. Head then brought out Roy to finish the game and he responded, not allowing a hit in the final two innings to earn the save.
With the strong weekend, the Cards' chances of making the conference tournament are solid. After their doubleheader with Northwood, they close out with three home doubleheaders: a pivotal May 2 date with Wayne State, and two matches against Hillsdale, which sits at 3-17 in the conference.
The GLIAC tournament, being played in Midland, begins Thursday, May 10 and runs through Saturday, May 12.